Summary of Taras Bulba. The shortest retelling of Taras Bulba

Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol is one of the most famous Russian writers. His work is actively studied at school and is included in the compulsory reading list. That's why it's so in demand brief retelling"Taras Bulba".

About the book

The story “Taras Bulba” was part of the most famous Gogol cycle called “Mirgorod”. The work tells about the events of the 17th century, as evidenced by a number of historical facts. Gogol, wanting to emphasize the fantastic nature of his work, indicates the 15th century as the time of birth of the main character. The unreality of the events of the story and the collective image of Taras Bulba are emphasized by a brief retelling.

“Taras Bulba” is an original and unique work. It clearly expressed Gogol’s amazing talent to portray his people, colorfully describe what was happening and evoke a sincere response from readers of all ages, not to mention the rich, figurative and expressive language of the narrative.

A brief retelling of “Taras Bulba”: chapter one

Andriy and Ostap are returning home from theological school (bursa). Their father comes out to meet them and begins to make fun of his sons’ outfits. Ostap, unable to bear the insult, begins a fist fight, while Andriy remains standing on the sidelines.

Taras can’t wait to test his sons, so in a week he is going to go with them to Zaporozhye.

Before leaving, the mother cries over her sleeping children, combs their hair, and grieves that she may never see them again. Bulba is happy about the upcoming battles; he wakes up his sons early and urges them on. At parting, the mother blesses Ostap and Andriy in tears, hugging them. The young Cossacks themselves are unable to contain their feelings; they hide their own tears from their father.

Chapter two

The brief retelling is rich in many lyrical digressions. Taras Bulba, Ostap and Andriy ride in silence, each thinking about his own. Gogol in this episode talks about the past of young Cossacks. Thus, Ostap was not diligent; he ran away from the school several times and threw away his primer, but he was a reliable friend. Andriy, on the contrary, was willing to study and was endowed with a strong but difficult character. Like his brother, he strived for achievements.

After a three-day journey, travelers reach the Dnieper, where the Sich was located. Familiar Cossacks warmly welcome Taras and his sons.

Chapter Three

Taras and his sons lived in Sich for a week. Plunging into incessant fun and a life completely unknown before, Andriy and Ostap forget about home and their sorrows. Despite the apparent chaos of the Sich, it nevertheless lived by its own laws. Murder was punishable by the most terrible execution - a hole was dug, the killer was lowered into it, a coffin with the deceased (killed) was placed on top, and then the grave was filled up. For theft, they were tied to a pole, and everyone passing by had to hit the offender with a nearby club.

Both sons of Bulba were distinguished by their daring, they shot well, they could swim against the current of the Dnieper, for which they quickly gained the respect of the Cossacks. However, Taras did not like such a quiet life; he wanted to raise the Sich, encourage the Cossacks to fight, where he could have plenty of fun.

Chapter Four

We continue with a brief retelling of the chapters. Taras Bulba, on the advice of one Cossack appointed Koschevoi, raises everyone's alarm. At the same time, a ferry lands on the shore, from which the Cossacks disembark. They report that the colonels gave all the churches and shrines to the Poles.

All the Cossacks gather on the shore to discuss the sad news. They unanimously decided to go to Poland to take revenge for the desecration of faith, the glory of the Cossacks and all the atrocities. The preparations begin, the former cemetery is no longer there, only the sounds of sabers clanking, shooting, and the creaking of carts are heard. The camp sets off, and every Cossack says goodbye to the Sich.

Chapter Five

Even a very brief retelling (“Taras Bulba”) cannot exclude a description of the feelings experienced by the characters. So, the Poles are in fear, there are rumors about the Cossacks, in panic they save themselves and what they can take away. Nobody wanted to deal with the Cossacks.

The army marches on the city of Dubno, where, as they said, there were many wealthy residents and a large treasury. The townspeople decided to stand until the end and not let the Cossacks in. Having suffered the first failure, the Cossacks retreated and surrounded the city. There was a lull, the Cossacks smoked, played leapfrog, and exchanged booty. But then Taras Bulba’s regiment arrived; now there were at least four thousand Cossacks.

The night before the siege, the lady's maid, whom the Cossack once dated, comes to Andriy. The city is starving, and she asks for a piece of bread, at least for her mother. The young Cossack takes the bread and goes the secret way, which the maid showed, to Dubno.

Chapter Six: Retelling

“Taras Bulba,” a summary of which we are considering, is replete with colorful descriptions, including terrible scenes. So, having made his way into the city, Andriy sees terrible victims of famine. The maid takes the Cossack to the lady's house. A conversation begins. Pannochka laments that the young Cossack cannot love her, since they are enemies. To which Andriy passionately renounces his brothers and homeland, calling the girl his new homeland.

The conversation is interrupted by a maid who reports that the Poles have entered the city, which means they are all saved.

Chapter Seven

The descriptions of the Cossacks that Gogol gives (“Taras Bulba”) are amazing and realistic. A brief retelling only confirms this. Noise and confusion reign in the Cossack camp. It turns out that the Peryaslavsky kuren was completely drunk, and half of the Cossacks were captured and the other half were slaughtered. While the Cossacks woke up and sorted things out, the Poles approached the city. Koshevoy takes command of the Cossacks. He orders to split up and wait for the Polish army to leave at each city gate.

Returning to his kuren, Taras realizes that Andriy is not there. The father is worried, afraid that he will be captured or killed.

The Cossacks begin to approach the gate. The Poles go out to the rampart surrounding the city and take out the prisoners. The battle begins. The Cossacks manage to mix up the enemy ranks. Ostap is particularly distinguished by his bravery, for which he is appointed to the atamans.

The Cossacks retreat and settle down to rest.

Chapter Eight

A brief retelling of the story “Taras Bulba” continues. In the morning, news comes to the Cossacks’ camp that the Tatars attacked the houses abandoned by the Cossacks and took away goods and prisoners. Koshevoy offers to catch up with them and recapture their prey, many support him. But Taras calls to stay and release the prisoners captured by the Poles. As a result, the Cossacks are divided: some go to pursue the Tatars, while others remain to free the prisoners; Bulba becomes their chieftain.

Chapter Nine

The Poles are leaving the city. A fight ensues. Cannon volleys press back the Cossacks, but they heroically do not surrender. The victory of the Cossacks is close, but then a hussar regiment leaves the city, and Bulba recognizes Andria among the horsemen. Taras lures his son into the forest and kills him.

But then reinforcements approached the Poles, Bulba told Ostap to leave. Enemies attack them, Taras fights back, Ostap is grabbed and tied up, but suddenly the light fades in his father’s eyes.

Chapter Ten

Taras comes to his senses already on the road, the Cossacks are returning to Ukraine. Bulba falls unconscious and is ill for a long time. Tormented by ignorance, he decides to find out what happened to Ostap. Taras travels to the city of Uman, meets with Yankel and persuades him to take the Cossack to Warsaw, where there is a reward for his head.

Chapter Eleven

A brief retelling of “Taras Bulba” is approaching its denouement. In Warsaw, it turns out that Ostap is in prison. Yankel undertakes to arrange a meeting between father and son. But he fails; the execution of the prisoners is already scheduled for tomorrow. The only thing that can be done for Taras is to take him to the square where the execution will take place.

The execution begins. Ostap calls on the Cossacks to courageously accept their death. Gogol colorfully describes the torment of the Cossacks, which they stoically endure. Unconscious, Ostap calls his father, and Taras calls out. The Poles try to catch Bulba, but to no avail.

Chapter Twelve

Taras gathers an army and goes to destroy the Poles. This is how he celebrates the wake of Ostap. The excited Poles are equipping five regiments to capture the Cossacks. After a six-day pursuit, the enemies manage to capture Taras, and a terrible execution awaits him - he will be burned alive.

An execution takes place. Bulba is chained to a tree, her hands are nailed and set on fire. But the Cossack does not think about his torment, but rejoices that some of his comrades managed to swim across the Dnieper and escape persecution. This is how the short retelling of “Taras Bulba” ends.

As part of the project "Gogol. 200 years", RIA Novosti presents a summary of the story "Taras Bulba" by Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol - the most famous story of Gogol's cycle "Mirgorod".

After graduating from the Kyiv Academy, his two sons, Ostap and Andriy, come to the old Cossack Colonel Taras Bulba. Two stalwart young men, whose healthy and strong faces have not yet been touched by a razor, are embarrassed by their meeting with their father, who makes fun of their clothes as recent seminarians. The eldest, Ostap, cannot stand his father’s ridicule: “Even though you’re my dad, if you laugh, then, by God, I’ll beat you!” And father and son, instead of greeting each other after a long absence, seriously hit each other with blows. A pale, thin and kind mother tries to reason with her violent husband, who himself stops, glad that he has tested his son. Bulba wants to “greet” the younger one in the same way, but his mother is already hugging him, protecting him from his father.

On the occasion of the arrival of his sons, Taras Bulba convenes all the centurions and the entire regimental rank and announces his decision to send Ostap and Andriy to the Sich, because there is no better science for a young Cossack than the Zaporozhye Sich. At the sight of the young strength of his sons, the military spirit of Taras himself flares up, and he decides to go with them to introduce them to all his old comrades. The poor mother sits all night over her sleeping children, without closing her eyes, wanting the night to last as long as possible. Her dear sons are taken from her; they take it so that she will never see them! In the morning, after the blessing, the mother, desperate with grief, is barely torn away from the children and taken to the hut.

Three horsemen ride in silence. Old Taras remembers his wild life, a tear freezes in his eyes, his gray head droops. Ostap, who has a stern and firm character, although hardened over the years of studying at the bursa, retained his natural kindness and was touched by the tears of his poor mother. This alone confuses him and makes him lower his head thoughtfully.

Andriy is also having a hard time saying goodbye to his mother and home, but his thoughts are occupied with memories of the beautiful Polish woman he met just before leaving Kyiv. Then Andriy managed to get into the beauty’s bedroom through the fireplace chimney; a knock on the door forced the Pole to hide the young Cossack under the bed. Tatarka, the lady's servant, as soon as the anxiety passed, took Andriy out into the garden, where he barely escaped from the awakened servants. He saw the beautiful Polish girl again in the church, soon she left - and now, with his eyes cast down into the mane of his horse, Andriy thinks about her.

After long journey The Sich greets Taras and his sons with his wild life - a sign of the Zaporozhye will. Cossacks do not like to waste time on military exercises, collecting military experience only in the heat of battle. Ostap and Andriy rush with all the ardor of young men into this riotous sea. But old Taras does not like an idle life - this is not the kind of activity he wants to prepare his sons for.

Having met all his comrades, he is still figuring out how to rouse the Cossacks on a campaign, so as not to waste the Cossack prowess on a continuous feast and drunken fun. He persuades the Cossacks to re-elect the Koschevoy, who keeps peace with the enemies of the Cossacks. The new Koshevoy, under the pressure of the most warlike Cossacks, and above all Taras, decides to go to Poland to celebrate all the evil and disgrace of faith and Cossack glory.

And soon the entire Polish southwest becomes the prey of fear, the rumor running ahead: “Cossacks! The Cossacks have appeared! In one month, the young Cossacks matured in battle, and old Taras loves to see that both of his sons are among the first. The Cossack army is trying to take the city of Dubna, where there is a lot of treasury and wealthy inhabitants, but they encounter desperate resistance from the garrison and residents.

The Cossacks besiege the city and wait for famine to begin in it. Having nothing to do, the Cossacks devastate the surrounding area, burning defenseless villages and unharvested grain. The young, especially the sons of Taras, do not like this life. Old Bulba calms them down, promising hot fights soon. One dark night, Andria is awakened from sleep by a strange creature that looks like a ghost. This is a Tatar, a servant of the same Polish woman with whom Andriy is in love. The Tatar woman whispers that the lady is in the city, she saw Andriy from the city rampart and asks him to come to her or at least give a piece of bread for his dying mother.

Andriy loads the bags with bread, as much as he can carry, and the Tatar woman leads him along the underground passage to the city. Having met his beloved, he renounces his father and brother, comrades and homeland: “The homeland is what our soul seeks, what is dearer to it than anything else. My homeland is you." Andriy remains with the lady to protect her until his last breath from his former comrades.

Polish troops, sent to reinforce the besieged, march into the city past drunken Cossacks, killing many while they were asleep, and capturing many. This event embitters the Cossacks, who decide to continue the siege to the end. Taras, searching for his missing son, receives terrible confirmation of Andriy's betrayal.

The Poles are organizing forays, but the Cossacks are still successfully repelling them. News comes from the Sich that, in the absence of the main force, the Tatars attacked the remaining Cossacks and captured them, seizing the treasury. The Cossack army near Dubno is divided in two - half goes to the rescue of the treasury and comrades, half remains to continue the siege. Taras, leading the siege army, makes a passionate speech in praise of comradeship.

The Poles learn about the weakening of the enemy and move out of the city for a decisive battle. Andriy is among them. Taras Bulba orders the Cossacks to lure him to the forest and there, meeting Andriy face to face, he kills his son, who even before his death utters one word - the name of the beautiful lady. Reinforcements arrive to the Poles, and they defeat the Cossacks. Ostap is captured, the wounded Taras, saved from pursuit, is brought to Sich.

Having recovered from his wounds, Taras, with a lot of money and threats, forces the Jew Yankel to secretly transport him to Warsaw in order to try to ransom Ostap there. Taras is present at terrible execution son in the city square. Not a single groan escapes from Ostap’s chest under torture, only before death he cries out: “Father! where are you! do you hear all this? - “I hear!” - Taras answers above the crowd. They rush to catch him, but Taras is already gone.

One hundred and twenty thousand Cossacks, including the regiment of Taras Bulba, rise up on a campaign against the Poles. Even the Cossacks themselves notice Taras’s excessive ferocity and cruelty towards the enemy. This is how he takes revenge for the death of his son. The defeated Polish hetman Nikolai Pototsky swears not to inflict any offense on the Cossack army in the future. Only Colonel Bulba does not agree to such a peace, assuring his comrades that the asked Poles will not keep their word. And he leads his regiment away. His prediction comes true - having gathered their strength, the Poles treacherously attack the Cossacks and defeat them.

And Taras walks throughout Poland with his regiment, continuing to avenge the death of Ostap and his comrades, mercilessly destroying all living things.

Five regiments under the leadership of that same Pototsky finally overtake the regiment of Taras, who was resting in an old collapsed fortress on the banks of the Dniester. The battle lasts four days. The surviving Cossacks make their way, but the old chieftain stops to look for his cradle in the grass, and the haiduks overtake him. They tie Taras to an oak tree with iron chains, nail his hands and lay a fire under him. Before his death, Taras manages to shout to his comrades to go down to the canoes, which he sees from above, and escape pursuit along the river. And at the last terrible minute the old chieftain thinks about his comrades, about their future victories, when old Taras is no longer with them.

The Cossacks escape from the chase, row their oars together and talk about their chieftain.

Material provided by the internet portal briefly.ru, compiled by V. M. Sotnikov

Andrei and Ostap, sons of the Cossack colonel Taras Bulba, return home. The years of study at the Kyiv Academy are behind us. The parents joyfully greet the brothers and, in honor of their return, convene all the colonels and centurions, where the father announces his decision to send his sons to the Zaporozhye Sich.

Three horsemen ride in silence, each thinking about his own. Taras recalls the years of his wild youth. Ostap, the eldest of the sons, dreams of upcoming glory and victories. Andrei lives with the thought of a beautiful Polish woman whom he has seen only a few times. This is how the travelers reached the island of Khortitsa, where the Sich itself was located.

Tired of the partying, the Sich members choose a new chieftain and decide to move their herds to Poland to take revenge on the Poles for oppressing the Christian faith and Ukrainians.

Andrei and Ostap have matured in a month and are fighting bravely in battle. The Cossacks, approaching the city of Dubno, decide to take possession of the wealth of the nobles. But city residents resist. The Cossack army is imprisoning the fortress in a sedimentary ring, which should bring starvation to the Poles.
One night, the lady's maid, who has captured the heart of the brave Cossack, comes to Andrei. A young Polish girl wants to see him and asks for help. Having collected bags of bread, the young man enters the city through a secret underground passage. The meeting of lovers becomes a turning point in Andrei's fate - he goes over to the side of the Poles, offering his beloved his help and protection.

New Polish troops come to the aid of the residents of Dubna. Passing by sleeping drunken Cossacks, the Poles kill or capture many of them. Taras Bulba learns about his son's betrayal. Terrible news was received from the Sich about a sudden attack by the Tatars, who captured the Cossacks and took the treasury. The Sich people decide to divide their paddock into two parts.
The Poles learn about the weakening positions of the Cossacks and engage in a decisive battle. Among the Poles, the father recognizes Andrei. Having lured his son into the forest, Taras kills him. Meanwhile, the Poles take Ostap prisoner, and the Cossacks bring the wounded colonel to his homeland.

Having recovered a little from his wounds, Taras tries to ransom Ostap from captivity. But all in vain, he dies under torture, like a real Cossack hero.

One hundred and twenty thousand Sich Cossacks rise into battle against the Poles, among them Taras Bulba. He is fierce and cruel as ever. This is how the father takes revenge for the death of his son. Nikolai Pototsky, feeling his defeat, tries to enter into a friendly agreement with the Cossacks, but as a result, the forgiven Poles do not keep their promise and attack the Cossack troops.
Taras Bulba's regiment and Pototsky's five regiments fought tooth and nail for four days. The colonel was captured and chained to an oak tree, his hands nailed, and they were going to set him on fire. Glorious Cossack, without fear own death, was able to warn his comrades about the possibility of salvation, and they manage to escape from the enemy along the river.

"Taras Bulba" is an unconditional example of honor, courage and selfless patriotism in the name of the Motherland.

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Gogol's story "Taras Bulba" is part of the "Mirgorod" cycle. There are two editions - 1835 and 1842. Gogol was against publishing the second version without agreeing with him on certain points. However, the story was still published without copyright edits.

The events in the book “Taras Bulba” take place around the 17th century. It is interesting that the author himself often mentions the 15th century, thus emphasizing the fantastic nature of the story. In the work, we can conditionally distinguish two narrative plans: on one plan, the life of the Zaporozhye Cossacks and their campaign against Poland is described, and on the other, a dramatic story about the glorious Cossack Taras Bulba and his two sons.

For a deeper understanding of the story “Taras Bulba”, a summary of the chapters is given below.

Main characters

Taras Bulba- the main character. A respected Cossack in the Sich, a good warrior. The main values ​​for him are the Christian faith and the Fatherland.

Ostap- Bulba’s eldest son, graduated from the seminary. In battles he proved himself to be a prudent and brave Cossack, able to analyze the situation and make the right decisions. A worthy son of his father.

Andriy- Bulba's youngest son. He feels subtly the world around us and nature, able to see beauty in insignificant details, nevertheless, in battles he was distinguished by courage and an unconventional approach.

Other characters

Yankel- a Jew, looking for his own benefit in everything. Taras Bulba turned to him for help.

Pannochka- daughter of a Polish gentleman, beloved Andria.

Tatar- the lady’s servant, who informed Andriy about the underground passage in Dubno and about the terrible famine in the city.

Chapter 1

Bulba meets her sons - Ostap and Andriy, who returned from Kyiv after graduating from the seminary. The father makes fun of them in a kind way appearance, but Ostap doesn’t like it. Instead of a greeting, a small scuffle begins between father and son, ending as suddenly as it began.

Taras decides to send his sons to the Sich so that they become real young men and brave Cossacks, and studying at the academy, books and maternal care will only spoil and pamper them. The mother does not agree with this decision, but what can she do but meekly agree. Such is her lot - to serve her husband and wait for him for months after his campaigns. On the occasion of the arrival of Ostap and Andriy, Bulba convened all the centurions, who approved the idea of ​​​​sending their sons to the Sich. Inspired by the strength and excitement of the upcoming trip, Taras decides to go with his sons.

The old mother did not sleep - she hugged her sons, dreaming only that the night would not end. It was very difficult for her to part with them. Until recently, she hoped that her husband would change his mind or decide to leave a week later. But Taras Bulba was stubborn and unshakable.

When the sons were leaving, the mother rushed to them with ease and speed, not typical of her years. She couldn’t stop her family - the Cossacks took her away twice.

Chapter 2

The riders rode in silence. Taras thought about his youth, which was full of adventures, about his Cossack comrades, about how he would show off his sons to them. Ostap and Andriy were busy with other thoughts. When they were twelve years old, they were sent to study at the Kyiv Academy. Ostap tried to escape several times, buried his primer, but each time he was returned back and bought a new book, until finally his father threatened to send him to a monastery for disobedience. From that moment on, Ostap became much more diligent, and soon became on par with the best students.

Andriy studied more willingly, without making much effort. He was more inventive and was often the instigator of some kind of adventure. He managed to avoid punishment thanks to his flexibility of mind. Andriy's soul was open to other feelings. One day he saw a beautiful Polish girl and fell in love at first sight. Andriy was fascinated by her beauty and femininity. The next night the young man decided to sneak into her chambers. At first the lady was scared, but later she laughed merrily, putting various jewelry on Andriy. The Tatarka, a servant of the Polish lady, helped Andriy get out of the house as soon as there was a knock on the door.

The travelers galloped across the endless expanses of the steppe, which became more and more beautiful. Everything here seemed to breathe freedom. Soon they arrived on the island of Khortitsa. Ostap and Andriy entered the Sich with some fear and pleasure. On the island, life went on as usual: the Cossacks walked, danced, mended clothes, and fought.

Chapter 3

The Sich was a “continuous feast.” There were artisans and merchants and traders there, but most of them walked from morning to evening. On Khortitsa there were those who never studied or dropped out of the academy, and there were also learned Cossacks, there were fugitive officers and partisans. All these people were united by faith in Christ and love for their native land.

Ostap and Andriy quickly became imbued with the atmosphere that reigned there and joined that environment. The father did not like this - he wanted his sons to be hardened in battle, so he was thinking about how to raise the Sich for such an event. This leads to a quarrel with the Koshevoy, who does not want to start a war. Taras Bulba was not used to things not going his way: he planned to take revenge on the Koshevoi. He persuades his comrades to get the others drunk so that they overthrow the Koschevoy. Bulba’s plan works - Kirdyaga, an old but wise Cossack, Taras Bulba’s comrade in arms, is elected as the new Koshevoy.

Chapter 4

Taras Bulba communicates with the new Koshevoy about the military campaign. However, he, being a reasonable person, says: “let the people gather, but only by my own desire, I will not force anyone.” But in fact, behind such permission lies a desire to relieve oneself of responsibility for violating peace between states. A ferry with Cossacks who managed to escape arrives on the island. They bring disappointing news: priests (Catholic priests) ride on carts, harnessing Christians in them, Jewish women sew outfits for themselves from the priest’s vestments, and people are not allowed to celebrate Christian holidays without the approval of the Jews. Such lawlessness angered the Cossacks - no one had the right to insult their faith and people like that! Both old and young are ready to defend their Fatherland, fight the Poles for disgracing their faith and collect booty from captured villages.

The Cossacks made a noise and shouted: “Hang all the Jews! Let not the Jewish women sew skirts from the priest’s vestments!” These words had a huge impact on the crowd, which immediately rushed to catch the Jews. But one of them, Yankel, says he knew the late brother of Taras Bulba. Bulba saves Yankel's life and allows him to go with the Cossacks to Poland.

Chapter 5

The earth is full of rumors about the military glory of the Cossacks and about their new conquests. The Cossacks moved at night and rested during the day. Taras Bulba looks with pride at his sons who have matured in battle. Ostap, it seemed, was destined to be a warrior. He proved himself to be a brave warrior with an analytical mind. Andriy was more attracted to the romantic side of the journey: knightly deeds and battles with the sword. He acted at the behest of his heart, without resorting to special thoughts, and sometimes he managed to do something that no experienced Cossack could do!

The army came to the city of Dubno. The Cossacks climbed onto the rampart, but from there stones, arrows, barrels, sandbags and pots of boiling water rained down on them. The Cossacks quickly realized that the siege was not theirs strong point, and decided to starve the city to death. They trampled all the fields on horses, destroyed the crops in the gardens, and then settled down in kurens. Ostap and Andriy do not like this life, but their father encourages them: “Be patient with the Cossack - you will become an ataman!”

Esaul brings icons and blessings from his old mother to Ostap and Andria. Andriy misses her, but does not want to return, even though he feels the stuffiness squeezing his heart. At night he admires the sky and stars.
The warriors, tired during the day, fell asleep. Everyone except Andriy. He wandered around the kuren, looking at the rich nature. Suddenly he accidentally notices a certain figure. The stranger turns out to be a woman whom Andriy recognizes as a Tatar who serves the lady with whom he was in love. The Tatar woman tells the young man about the terrible famine, about the lady who had not eaten anything for many days. It turns out that the lady saw Andriy among the soldiers and immediately remembered him. She told the maid to find Andriy and ask him to give him some bread, and if he did not agree, then let him come just like that. Andriy immediately begins to search for supplies, but the Cossacks even ate the porridge that was prepared in excess. Then the young Cossack carefully pulls out the bag of food from under Ostap, on which he was sleeping. Ostap wakes up only for a moment and immediately falls asleep again. Andriy quietly sneaks through the kuren to the Tatar woman, who promised to lead him to the city through an underground passage.

Andria’s father calls out, warning that women will not lead to good things. The Kozak stood neither alive nor dead, afraid to move, but Bulba quickly fell asleep.

Chapter 6

Andriy walks along an underground passage and ends up in a Catholic monastery, finding the priests praying. Zaporozhets is amazed by the beauty and decoration of the cathedral, he is fascinated by the play of light in the stained glass. He was especially struck by the music.

A Cossack and a Tatar woman go out into the city. It's starting to get light. Andriy sees a woman with a child who died in the throes of hunger. A man distraught with hunger appears on the street, begging for bread. Andriy fulfills the request, but the man, having barely swallowed a piece, dies - his stomach has not received food for too long. The Tatar woman admits that all living things in the city have already been eaten, but the governor ordered not to give up - two Polish regiments will arrive not today, tomorrow.

The maid and Andriy enter the house. Where the young man sees his beloved. Pannochka became different: “she was a lovely, flighty girl; this one is a beauty... in all its developed beauty.” Andriy and the Polish girl can’t get enough of each other; the young man wanted to say everything that was in his soul, but he couldn’t. Meanwhile, the Tatar woman cut the bread and brought it - Panna began to eat, but Andriy warned her that it was better to eat in pieces, otherwise you might die. And neither words nor the painter’s pen could express how the Polish woman looked at the Cossack. The feelings that possessed the young man at that moment were so strong that Andriy renounces his father, his faith, and his Fatherland - he will do everything to serve the young lady.

A Tatar woman appears in the room with good news: the Poles have entered the city and are taking captured Cossacks. Andriy kisses the lady.

Chapter 7

The Cossacks decide to attack Dubno and avenge their captured comrades. Yankel tells Taras Bulba that he saw Andriy in the city. The Cossack changed his outfit, he was given a good horse, and he himself shines like a coin. Taras Bulba was dumbfounded by what he heard, but still couldn’t believe it. Then Yankel reports on the upcoming wedding of Andriy with the master’s daughter, when Andriy and the Polish army will drive the Cossacks out of Dubno. Bulba is angry with the Jew, suspecting him of lying.

The next morning it turns out that many Cossacks were killed while they were sleeping; Several dozen soldiers were captured from the Pereyaslavsky kuren. The battle begins between the Cossacks and the Polish army. The Cossacks are trying to break the enemy regiment into pieces - this will make it easier to win.

One of the Kurky chieftains is killed in battle. Ostap takes revenge for a Cossack killed in battle. For his courage, the Cossacks choose him as chieftain (instead of the killed Cossack). And immediately Ostap was given the opportunity to consolidate his fame as a wise leader: as soon as he ordered to retreat from the walls of the city, to stay as far away from them as possible, all sorts of objects fell from there, and many got it.

The battle is over. The Cossacks buried the Cossacks, and tied the bodies of the Poles to wild horses so that the dead would drag along the ground, along hills, ditches and ravines. Taras Bulba wondered why his youngest son was not among the warriors. He is ready to take cruel revenge on the lady, because of whom Andriy renounced everything that was dear to him. But what does the new day have in store for Taras Bulba?

Chapter 8

The Cossacks say goodbye to each other, raise toasts to the faith and the Sich. So that the enemy would not see the decline in the Cossack army, it was decided to attack at night.

Chapter 9

Due to incorrect calculations, the city again lacks food. The military leader hears rumors about the Cossacks who have set out to take revenge on the Tatars, and preparations for the battle begin.
The Poles admire the fighting skills of the Cossacks, but the Cossacks still suffer heavy losses - guns were brought out against them. The Cossacks do not give up, Bulba encourages them with the words “there is still gunpowder in the flasks.” Bulba sees his youngest son: Andriy is riding a black argamak as part of a Polish cavalry regiment. Bulba went mad with anger, seeing how Andriy was cutting down everyone - both his own and strangers. Bulba catches up with the young man, who, at the sight of his father, suddenly loses his fighting spirit. Andriy obediently dismounts from his horse. Before his death, the Cossack uttered not the name of his mother or homeland, but the name of his beloved Pole. The father kills his son with a shot, uttering the phrase that has become famous: “I gave birth to you, I will kill you!” .

The eldest son of Taras Bulba becomes an involuntary witness to the murder, but there is no time to grieve or understand: Ostap is attacked by Polish soldiers. Broken, but still alive, Ostap is captured by the Poles.

The Cossack army is greatly thinned out, Taras Bulba falls from his horse.

Chapter 10

Bulba is alive, he is being taken by the Cossack Tovkach to the Zaporozhye Sich. After a month and a half, Bulba was able to recover from his wounds. Everything in the Sich is new, the old Cossacks are no longer there, and those who left to fight the Tatars have not returned. Taras Bulba was stern, indifferent, did not participate in parties and general fun, he was burdened by thoughts of his eldest son. Bulba asks Yankel to take him to Warsaw, despite the fact that there was a reward of two thousand ducats on Bulba’s head. Having accepted the reward for the service, Yankel hides the Cossack at the bottom of the cart, covering the top with bricks.

Chapter 11

Bulba asks the Jews to release his son from prison - but it is too late, because the execution is scheduled for the next day. You can only see him at dawn. Taras agrees. Yankel dresses the Cossack in foreign clothes, both enter the prison, where Yankel flatters the guards. But Taras Bulba, offended by a remark from one of them, reveals his incognito identity.
Bulba demands to be taken to the place of his son’s execution.

The Cossacks walked to execution with “quiet pride,” Ostap Bulbenko walked ahead. Before his death, deprived of any hope for an answer, Ostap shouts into the crowd: “Father, where are you now: Can you hear me?” . And they answered him: “I hear!”

Chapter 12

The entire Sich has gathered under the leadership of Taras Bulba, the Cossacks are marching towards Poland. Bulba became more cruel, and hatred of the Poles only intensified. With his Cossacks he reached Krakow, leaving behind 18 burned cities. Hetman Potocki was tasked with capturing Taras Bulba, which led to a bloody battle that lasted 4 days. Victory was close, but Taras Bulba was captured while he was looking for a lost cradle in the grass. He was burned at the stake.

The Cossacks managed to escape, sailing on boats, they spoke and praised their chieftain - the irreplaceable Taras Bulba.

Conclusion

The themes and problems raised in the work “Taras Bulba” will be relevant at all times. The story itself is fantastic, and the images are collective. Gogol successfully combines easy language writing, colorful characters, an adventure plot with a subtly written psychologism. His characters are memorable and remain in the memory forever. By reading “Taras Bulba” in abbreviation, you can get information about the plot and plot, but stunningly beautiful descriptions of nature, monologues imbued with the spirit of freedom and Cossack valor will only be in the original work. In general, the story was warmly received by critics, although some aspects were condemned (for example, the assessment of Poles and Jews).

Despite the above brief retelling of Gogol's Taras Bulba, we strongly recommend that you read the full text of the work.

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Taras Bulba meets his sons who studied at the Kyiv Bursa and have now arrived home. These are two strapping young men, strong and healthy. Taras chuckles at his sons’ clothes; those, not expecting such a reception from their father, stand confused. The eldest son, offended by his father’s words, begins to beat Taras, who responds. Mother stops them both. Father hugs his sons.

The mother can’t get enough of her favorites, and Taras says that this same week he will send both of them to Zaporozhye, where they will real school life. Everyone enters the bright room, sits down to have a drink and a snack.

After another drink, Taras begins to rage, breaks pots and flasks and decides that they will go to Zaporozhye tomorrow. After all, he is a Cossack, he wants freedom, but here, at home, he has nothing to do. The wife, accustomed to such antics from her husband, stands aside and thinks about the imminent separation from her sons.

Taras goes to give orders to prepare for the journey, then goes to bed with his sons in the yard. Following Bulba, everyone falls asleep except his wife. She lies next to her sons and cries because of the imminent separation from them. She secretly hopes that when Bulba wakes up, she will delay the day of departure. But in the morning Bulba immediately begins to get ready for the road.

The poor old woman has no choice but to help him. When everyone has gathered, Taras sits down on the path. The mother hugs her sons, cries, clings to the saddle of the youngest and does not want to let go. The Cossacks take her home. The sons hold back their tears, fearing their father's wrath.

Everyone drives in silence. Taras imagines how he and his sons will come to Sich. They are thinking about something else. Both were sent to bursa at the age of twelve. The eldest, Ostap, at first did not want to study, ran away, but then calmed down when his father promised to lock him up in a monastery.

Soon Ostap became the best in the academy. But this did not break his stubborn character: he loved war and feasts. The youngest, Andriy, studied easily. He was more inventive than his brother, seethed with a thirst for achievement, loved women and now yearns for a Polish woman with whom he fell in love in Kyiv.

Meanwhile, Taras comes out of his reverie and offers to stop for a smoke. Then they move on. There is only steppe everywhere. Only after three days of travel the Cossacks feel the proximity of the Dnieper.

They dismount and board the ferry. Finally they arrive in Sich. “Crowds of people were scattered over an area of ​​five miles. They gathered in small heaps." The Cossacks reach the square where the Rada gathers. Taras soon sees familiar faces and greetings begin.

Taras has been living with his sons in Sich for about a week now. Ostap and Andriy are little involved in military affairs, since in the Sich young people are mainly brought up by experience, not theory.

The Cossacks devote all their free time to gulba. And the brothers plunge headlong into revelry.

Meanwhile, Bulba is thinking about how to start some business, for example, to go against the Turks or Tatars, but he is told that a non-aggression treaty has been signed. Then Taras organizes a feast, which gathers the elders and kuren atamans.

Those, when they drink well, go to the square and invite people to war. But the Koshevoy proposes not to go to war, since the Cossacks promised peace, but “to let only young people go with the canoes.

Let them scratch the shores of Anatolia a little.” They decide that they will send several young men under the leadership of experienced warriors. The training camp begins.

At this time, a ferry is moored to the shore, on which there are ragged and tortured people. One of them says that in the hetmanate the Jews are not allowed to live; Catholicism wants Christians to renounce their faith. Koshevoy asks why they didn’t take up their sabers.

They answer him that there are too many Jews, and the colonels and the hetman have been killed. The Sich gathers in the square and decides to go to Poland, since that is where all the lawlessness comes from. Bulba is pleased with the current circumstances: opportunities for exploits open up.

Soon the entire southwest of Poland was captured by the Cossacks. Only the city of Dubna does not surrender. The Cossacks decide to take the city at any cost. But after two weeks everything remains the same. Everyone is impatient, including Ostap and Andriy, who have now gained experience in military affairs.

One day Andriy was sitting in the evening under the walls of the city when a woman approached him. Taking a closer look. Andriy recognized her as a Tatar, the lady’s servant, with whom he had been in love back in Kyiv.

The maid says that the lady is in the city, she has not eaten for several days. She asks Andriy for help, because she is sure that he will not betray her. Andriy finds food supplies and goes with her through the underground passage into the city.

Here he sees terrible pictures of hunger: a dead woman with infant, who is still alive and looking for mother's milk; the withered body of a hanged man who could not bear the suffering.

Finally, Andriy meets his beloved, who seems even more beautiful to him. Panna asks Andriy for help, because she is sure that he will not betray her. He says he is ready to die for her. A Tatar woman comes and reports that the Poles have entered the city and brought food and captured Cossacks.

The Poles were able to enter the city because the Cossacks of the Pereyaslavsky kuren were drunk. Many were killed, others were taken prisoner.

The Jew Yankel tells Taras Bulba that Andriy is among the Poles and should marry the master’s daughter. Bulba doesn’t believe it at first, but then, remembering Andriy’s character and his penchant for female beauty, he realizes that this is true. Taras is angry and wants to kill his son.

The battle begins between the Cossacks and Poles. One of the atamans is killed, and Ostap takes revenge for him. The fearless Ostap is chosen as chieftain. Taras thinks why Andriy was not in the battle: maybe he is ashamed, like Judas, or maybe the Jew lied after all? Bulba imagines how he will cruelly take revenge on the lady for Andriy.

News comes to the Cossacks that while they are on a campaign, the Tatars attacked the Sich, seized wealth and took many captives.

The Cossacks at the council decide to go in pursuit of the Tatars. Taras Bulba objects. He says that the Cossacks have forgotten about their comrades, that they are prisoners of war with the Poles. One of the oldest Cossacks, Kasyan Vondyug, says that someone should go after the Tatars, and someone should stay here, near Dubna, to try to free their comrades.

Having learned that half of the Cossacks had left, the Poles decide to give battle. Taras Bulba is informed that the Poles are coming with guns, and with them his son Andriy. At first, Bulba doesn’t believe him in anger, but then he remembers that he hasn’t seen him for two days.

During the battle, Bulba sees Andriy. He shouts to the Cossacks to lure Andriy into the forest, and there he meets with his son one on one. Bulba tells him about betrayal and kills him. Before his death, Andriy pronounces the name of his beloved.

Reinforcements come to the Poles and they defeat the Cossacks. Ostap is taken prisoner. Taras Bulba is wounded.

Taras Bulba's faithful friend Tovkach saves him and takes him to Sich, heals him and raises him to his feet. In the Sich now everything is new: the old comrades who stood for the faith and the Cossack brotherhood have died. Taras cannot participate in the Cossacks' fun: he thinks about Ostap. He begs Yankel to transport him to Warsaw, although he knows that a lot of money is promised for his head.